


give you everything I have, teach you everything I know (I promise, I'll do better)

by laurarasmith



Series: give me your cold hands (put them on my heart) [3]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-29
Updated: 2017-08-29
Packaged: 2018-12-21 10:50:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11942583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/laurarasmith/pseuds/laurarasmith
Summary: Raising a half Kryptonian, half human is full of challenges. Alex is just trying to keep her head above the water.ORthe youngest Danvers and the oldest Danvers are not very good at talking





	give you everything I have, teach you everything I know (I promise, I'll do better)

It had been a day.   
Kara had started off the morning by stopping two car accidents, rescuing a kitten, and finding a little girl who had been missing since the night before, curled under a bench in the park. After reuniting the girl with her parents, she’d stopped by to pick up doughnuts and coffee for herself and her sisters, Maggie, and Lena. When she got near the house, ready for a cozy morning with her family, she’d heard a screaming match inside.   
“You’re NOT my mom!” Kara recognized Kathy’s voice immediately, and slowed to a stop, knowing if she got any closer her little sister’s enhancing hearing would reveal her.  
“I know we’re not, but Kathy, Maggie and I are the closest things you’ve got. Now please, just please, can you turn the TV off so we can enjoy breakfast? Kara will be back soon.” Kara can see Alex’s hands in her hair, Maggie standing next to her with her arms crossed. Lena is standing in the doorway, glasses on her face indicating she’s just now getting up.   
“I don’t want to.” Kathy is obviously past the point of logic, her face and ears red and arms defiantly crossed over her chest. Kara takes a moment, assessing the situation. The argument must have been happening for a while, as Alex is obviously at her wit’s end. Lena looks in from the doorway, eyebrow arched and calculating what the next move should be. Maggie, however, has moved both hands to the counter and is obviously contemplating the situation. It’s then that Kara swoops in, landing next to Maggie and placing the food on the counter and her hands on her hips. She looks to Maggie for her next move, and Maggie then walks across the room to squat in front of Kathy.   
“Kath, why don’t you want the TV off? You weren’t watching it.” Kathy deflates a little, her hands going to pull on her hair as Maggie gently reaches for them and pulls them to her mouth, kissing them both. “C’mon love, what’s up?” Kathy then closes her eyes, and spits it all out in one breath.  
“Thewaterinthesinkisdrippinganditsreallyloud.” Maggie’s head tilts in confusion, as does Alex and Lena’s, but Kara immediately listens and sure enough, the upstairs bathroom sink is leaking. She runs up and tightens the knob, stopping the drip, drops into Kathy’s bedroom to grab her glasses, and runs back downstairs to plop them on Kathy’s face.   
“Better?” Kara asks, and Kathy nods, visibly relaxing. Maggie scoops her up and places her on the counter.   
“Now, don’t you think you owe Alex an apology?” Maggie looks the girl in the eye, who nods slowly before floating over to Alex.  
“I’m sorry Alex, I should’ve just told you what was wrong. I’m sorry I was mean.” Kathy is obviously sincere, her embarrassment showing in her red cheeks. But Alex immediately hiccups, running up the stairs into the master bedroom. Maggie and Lena immediately move to go after her, before Kara stops them with an arm.   
“Let me get this one guys. Mag, can you send Kathy up in about 5 minutes?” Her sister in law nods, and Kathy, who is full on sobbing now, rushes into Lena’s arms as Lena hushes her. Maggie watches Kara take the first few steps before turning to comfort Kathy with Lena.  
Kara takes the steps at full speed before opening the door to find her sister curled in the corner of the room, sobbing on her favorite chair. She rushes over, scooping her sister up and pressing her tightly into her body.   
“Alex, hey hey, shh. I got you.” Alex breaks, and sobs and shakes and Kara just holds her, waiting on her sister to calm down enough to speak. Eventually, her breaths are more even, with just the occasional hiccup, and Kara reaches to smooth her hair out of her face, a questioning look in her eyes.   
“Wanna tell me what’s going on, sis?” Alex nods, twiddling her fingers before taking a deep breath.  
“It’s just so hard, Kar. Kathy’s wonderful and beautiful and I’m so glad she’s our family but I’m exhausted. I can never read her like Maggie can, and I was around for the last Kryptonian kid. I practically raised you, Kara, and I can’t even tell when Kathy is overstimulated or being a pain in the ass. I feel like I’m putting it all on Maggie and I just-“ her voice breaks, and Kara hugs her closer.   
“Alex. Hey, look at me. You’re doing so well. You took in a half Kryptonian a month ago. A girl who didn’t even have a name, and now she has enough clothes for every day for a month and enough love for a lifetime. It’s so hard to tell, sometimes- even I didn’t know until she said something. Yes, Maggie has a gift with her but who is it she goes to to show her a new trick with her powers or how many crazy ballet turns she can do? You. It’s always you. You are just as much her mother as her sister, Alex. It’s going to always be hard. But she adores you and you love her and that is the best thing that you two could ever give each other. I’m so glad she has you.”  
Alex looks at her little sister, remembering for a moment the fumbling mess of a teen the girl had once been.   
“I couldn’t ever do this without you, Kara. Thank you.” She pulls Kara in for a hug, when the door creaks open to reveal a scrawny 11 year old, her face red and teary and her Supergirl pajamas a mess. Alex reaches out to her, pressing a kiss to her forehead and pulling her onto her lap, sandwiching her between her two sisters.   
“I love you, Kathy. I’m sorry I didn’t realize you were upset about something else. I’m going to try to do better.” Kathy nods, her hands going to Alex’s neck and clinging to her. She sits like that for a while, playing with the hair on the nape of Alex’s neck and both her sisters rubbing her back.   
“I love you, Kara.” She says quietly, and Kara reaches over to kiss her baby sister’s temple.  
“I love you too, Kathy Bob.”  
“I love you, Alex.” Alex’s breath catches in her throat, because these are her girls, her sisters, and she’s so glad they’re with her.  
“I love you too, Kathy.”  
Lena peeks around the doorway, Maggie next to her, and reaches for her phone to snap a picture. It’s framed, later, in Alex and Maggie’s bedroom, all 3 sisters curled around each other.


End file.
